Beheading Ned - King of the Iron Islands

"No man gives me a crown. I pay the iron price. I will take my crown."
―Balon Greyjoy


Warning a few spoilers ahead!

This time on Beheading Ned we are taking look at the original King of the Iron Islands (well original during the time of the series) Balon Greyoy. First off I personally dislike the Greyjoy house. Mainly because of what Theon did to the Starks and there was never a character I was personally rooting for in the first couple books. However, after last couple books I have gained more respect for Asha and Theon and Victarion could have an interesting role with Danny. So making Greyjoy decks have always been the most difficult for me so sorry in advance if the deck isn't the greatest but I did look for a Nedly deck for Balon and feel I have a solid one.

The two time rebelling hasn't had much success in his attempts to become king. The first being put to an end very quickly by Eddard and Robert, and the second was going better due to the fact almost all the other great houses were distracted by a bigger war, still ended poorly for Balon when a “storm” came and he fell to his death, leaving only 2 of the original 5 kings standing.
He didn't have a great volume of information in the books. He wasn't a point of view character and for the first couple books not many chapters at all were based around the Greyjoy house. However, from few chapters that talked about him he was very power hungry and also believed strongly in the old ways.

Balon Greyjoy

Unlike the other nedly decks which had multiple kings to choose from Balon only has one version of himself that is a king so let’s take a quick look at this card. Balon Greyjoy (KotS)

Out of this card we get a very solid character with positive traits and an ability that gives us an option to build around. Now when I first read this card I was thinking that the easiest type of deck to make would be to give him attachments to boost his strength and trigger Greyjoy effects from winning unopposed challenges. However, after building deck based around this method it was clearly not a great idea. Most of Greyjoys effects from winning unopposed challenges aren't anything that will win you game since most effects just do a little mill or discard locations but not in an effective way. So my next thought process was a dedicated warship deck in true Greyjoy fashion destroy with ships, but again wasn't that effective since you have to dedicate a huge portion of the deck towards warships. However, if you have no problem running the Long Voyage this maybe the most effective deck running heavy warship with draw from long voyage, however, I am refusing to play that agenda so what was an option I could use?

The Deck
I wanted a nedly deck of course and after doing mass search of all Greyjoy cards found one that will work easily with what I want to accomplish with being nedly, The Seastone Chair (BtW). So now we have a deck that is running King Balon, crowning himself on the seastone chair with nobles to utilize other members of his family.

Deck Built with CardGameDB.com GoT Deckbuilder

Balon (seastone chair)

House (1)
House Greyjoy (Core) x1

Agenda (1)
House of Dreams (ARotD) x1

Character (29)
Balon Greyjoy (KotS) x2
Asha Greyjoy (WLL) x2
Baelor Blacktyde (TIoR) x2
Gylbert Farwynd (GotC) x1
Kingsmoot Hopeful (FtC) x2
The Sparr (APS) x1
Theon Greyjoy (WLL) x1
Alannys Greyjoy (ODG) x1
Carrion Bird (ASoS) x2
Distinguished Boatswain (TftRK) x3
Fishwhiskers (CtB) x1
Iron Islands Brigand (TCC) x3
Island Refugee (RoW) x3
Maester Kerwin (VM) x1
Maester Murenmure (CbtC) x1
Maester Wendamyr (KotS) x1
The Reader (TGF) x1
Wex Pyke (KotS) x1

Location (25)
The Seastone Chair (BtW) x1
Aeron's Chambers (KotS) x1
Bay of Ice (KotS) x2
Captured Cog (AHM) x3
Flea Bottom (TGM) x1
Gatehouse (KotS) x3
Longship Black Wind (CbtC) x1
Longship Iron Victory (KotS) x1
Naval Escort (ASitD) x2
River Blockade (RoR) x1
River Row (QoD) x1
Street of Silk (LotR) x1
Street of Sisters (Core) x1
Street of Steel (Core) x1
Sunset Sea (Core) x2
The Iron Mines (KotS) x3

Event (4)
Finger Dance (WLL) x2
Seasick (KotS) x2

Attachment (2)
Driftwood Crown (MotM) x2

Plot (7)
Valar Morghulis (Core) x1
The Power of Blood (Core) x2
Negotiations at the Great Sept (TPoL) x1
Marched to the Wall (LoW) x1
Forgotten Plans (KotStorm) x1
Breaking and Entering (LotR) x1

The moment you see someone playing a Seastone deck you know they will be running a fair amount of nobles and luckily Greyjoy has a surprisingly good amount to pick from. Also adding in the driftwood crown for additional nedlyness to create more nobles if need them gives even more of an advantage. I know some Seastone decks have been built before but not positive how much different mine is or how successful they have been but figured is one of the more nedly decks can do for this King.

Although isn't a large amount of ships I'm still utilizing some of them, and also with KOTHH reduced in popularity the effect of combining captured cog and bay of ice is safer to trigger a good amount of draw in this deck. With bay of ice, Seastone chair, Longships, and the reader you should be able to get a fair amount of draw in a Greyjoy deck. This is primarily an aggro deck but with this good draw you can hopefully give some standing power, not to mention also renown and saves to gain some power and keep it safe as well.

Now I would love for you readers to provide your opinion on how you would build this deck, with either tweaks to this version, or do you think a super Balon option would work with pushing unopposed through.

Next time on Beheading Ned we will be continuing in order of the death of the kings and be building a deck around Jofferey. Hope you enjoyed.